A COUNCILLOR who spent time out on 'yob' patrol with police in the town says she is shocked at what she saw.

A COUNCILLOR who spent time out on 'yob' patrol with police in the town says she is shocked at what she saw.

And Sue Kettle, Tory member for Sutton Green and Manor, is now demanding tougher laws to combat hooliganism.

She fears that if nothing is done residents might be driven to take the law into their own hands by mounting vigilante groups.

Cllr Kettle is also urging a change in Human Rights legislation, which she says is partly to blame for the 'slide into anarchy' on the streets.

Over the weekend Cllr Kettle was invited to join police officers involved in Operation Envisage, which aims to clamp down on unruly teenagers in the borough.

She said: 'In three areas which are well-known hot-spots I was shocked at the attitude to the police.

'There was no fear, no respect and frequent misbehaviour in front of officers.

'This included deliberate disobedience, foul language and attempts to run off or create an impression of 'see how big and clever I am' to their so-called friends.'

She added: 'I was ashamed to see how low some of the youngsters around here have sunk, when they think it so wonderful to oppose the law.'

'The gangs appear to know the law does indeed tie the hands of the police and the actions they can take.

'The police are forced to be calm and polite in the face of the most unbelievable provocation - even to the point where the children have told their proud parents of the incidents and the parents complain to the police station and force apologies out of the officers for their incivility.'

Cllr Kettle said politicians had to stop the 'slide into anarchy' which was happening or there was a prospect of neighbourhood groups taking over 'in order to look after their safety and welfare, as the police can't do it'.

And it was also time the police were able to use their own 'commonsense' when the public were forced to take action to look after their family and property.

The police, she said, should 'stop threatening them with arrest, or even charging them when they are forced to take protective action against incursion.'

Cllr Kettle believes the Human Rights Act, now enshrined in English Law, is partly responsible for the current lawlessness.

She described the legislation, which gives equal rights to criminals and law-abiding members of the public, an 'absurdity'.

She is now urging residents to write to Ellesmere Port MP Andrew Miller and the town's Euro MPs demanding a review of the law.

'We must all beg, plead and demand changes to protect innocent law-abiding citizens,' she said.